Ryan Whitney to the Blues, Pietrangelo on the way out?

[yave1964]

Ryan Whitney has been invited to training camp by the St. Louis Blues, something management has used as leverage to try to get Restricted Free Agent Alex Pietrangelo into camp.

First off, Whitney is not capable of carrying Pietrangelo's jock at this point, the kid is a flat out stud who has amazing on ice vision and is an underrated top tier blue liner. Signing him for whatever he wants really should be the Blues top priority, in a rather blasé offseason in which David Perron, a skilled player who was a fan favorite was donated to Edmonton and the three goalie mix has not been resolved. Pietrangelo is easily the one player the team cannot afford to be without. And why, why why has nobody signed this man to an offer sheet? Really?

Whitney has been criticized in recent years for slowing down but he can still move the puck and shoot, and is a smart player. Only 30, plenty left in the tank, in the right situation on the second pair he is an asset. But if the Blues management expects him to be able to step in and take top pair minutes and perform anywhere near the level of Pietrangelo they are out of their minds.

[radoran]

And why, why why has nobody signed this man to an offer sheet? Really?

 

Because the tacit collusion present in the NHL is far more stifling than the "collusion" of baseball owners that got slapped down.

[yave1964]

@radoran

I find it absurd that the collusion is allowed to continue. Sickening. Here sits a top tier blue liner that could be had with a properly structured offer because the Blues are in some cap trouble but nobody is stepping up. Wow.

[jammer2]

@yave1964  I honestly think if any team thought they had a realistic chance to get a player of his stature, they would make the move in a second. The problem is, the Blues have 13 mill+ in cap space AND they have the money to get a long term deal done. All this waiting is just posturing, an attempt by the Blues to shave a few hundred thou off the deal. The Blues are by no means a fiscally healthy franchise, but I do believe they realize what they have here, one of the very best players in the game. All an offer sheet would do is make the Blues overpay, and that might not be worth the hassle for most GM's/orgs. I believe he'll inevitably get a long term deal between 7.5-8.0 mill a year, or somewhere in that ballpark.

 

  If the Blues think they are skating by with some kind of bridge deal, they will have to deal with offer sheets, but I don't think they are that dumb.

[radoran]

@yave1964  I honestly think if any team thought they had a realistic chance to get a player of his stature, they would make the move in a second. The problem is, the Blues have 13 mill+ in cap space AND they have the money to get a long term deal done. All this waiting is just posturing, an attempt by the Blues to shave a few hundred thou off the deal. The Blues are by no means a fiscally healthy franchise, but I do believe they realize what they have here, one of the very best players in the game. All an offer sheet would do is make the Blues overpay, and that might not be worth the hassle for most GM's/orgs. I believe he'll inevitably get a long term deal between 7.5-8.0 mill a year, or somewhere in that ballpark.

 

  If the Blues think they are skating by with some kind of bridge deal, they will have to deal with offer sheets, but I don't think they are that dumb.

 

The "hassle" being violating the "unwritten rule" about offer sheets, which is exactly what we're talking about

[jammer2]

@radoran  I do believe collusion exists, but I don't think it's applicable in this case. It would be different if the Blues did not have cap space, but having 13 mill on hand, I believe the signing of Alex is inevitable. So, if I'm an opposing GM, do I really want to ruffle all the feathers, make some vindictive enemy when the end result will be Alex being a Blue? I just don't see how it would be worth anyones time. St.Louis has to much leverage here.

[radoran]

@radoran  I do believe collusion exists, but I don't think it's applicable in this case. It would be different if the Blues did not have cap space, but having 13 mill on hand, I believe the signing of Alex is inevitable. So, if I'm an opposing GM, do I really want to ruffle all the feathers, make some vindictive enemy when the end result will be Alex being a Blue? I just don't see how it would be worth anyones time. St.Louis has to much leverage here.

Shea Weber says "hello."

 

And, before anyone says "but Nashville wasn't going to be able to match it!" - they did. They had the cap space and the resources...

 

Oh, wait, the Blues are going to be mad at me for attempting to acquire a top flight FA? Well, if the Blues are going to be angry, never mind - not worth it...

[jammer2]

@radoran  In this case, the Weber deal is actually a deterrent. I don't think anyone would make a move on a team with 13 mill in cap space in the current market. What is the end game, what does the team that rocks the boat get out of it....besides a lifetime enemy they can no longer deal with. 

[JR Ewing]

I don't see collusion at all here. Look around the league, and there's 6 teams other than the Blues that have the cap space to sign a player like Pietrangelo: COL, BUF, OTT, FLA, CGY, NYI. Of those teams, I don't see the Avs, Sabres, Panthers or Flames being in the market of adding a final major piece, nor do I see Pietrangelo yearning to sign with clubs in that position. This just leaves us with the Sens and Isles, and both of those organizations are having financial problems.

 

I could see collusion if there were deep-pockets teams with cap space in the right spot to sign Pietrangelo, but it's not the case.

 

JR

[radoran]

@radoran  In this case, the Weber deal is actually a deterrent. I don't think anyone would make a move on a team with 13 mill in cap space in the current market. What is the end game, what does the team that rocks the boat get out of it....besides a lifetime enemy they can no longer deal with. 

 

Flyers, for example, haven't made a deal with the Blues since 2004.

 

And, again, this is a product of a larger system which stifles even the prospect of an offer sheet. Talking about the specifics of a particular situation you can always find reasons it "won't" or "couldn't" happen - but they all have their roots in the "no offer sheet" culture which is emblematic of the "unwritten rule" collusion rampant in the NHL.

 

The Blues are free to try to shave "a few hundred thousand" off the deal because they have the confidence that no one will attempt to take the player from them.

 

One of the top young defensemen in the league doesn't even get one other offer.

 

Nothing to see here, move along please...

[jammer2]

@radoran "

The Blues are free to try to shave "a few hundred thousand" off the deal because they have the confidence that no one will attempt to take the player from them.

 

One of the top young defensemen in the league doesn't even get one other offer."

 

 

I see what you are saying, it's a valid point. The Blues literally have no competition, therefore can sit back and whittle down the money to an acceptable figure, without fear of somebody stepping in and causing a ruckus. That points to the system being broken. I get what you are saying. Why would a direct division rival at least try to push the Blues to the financial brink, and make them shed other parts? With the Blues, it's not the cap they have to worry about, it's the self imposed cap. I'm willing to admit I was wrong....ha ha.